PHILADELPHIA, United States — A dramatic 90th-minute strike from Manchester United winger Amad Diallo has handed Ivory Coast a vital 1-0 opening victory over Ecuador in their Group E campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The intense encounter concluded early Monday morning at Lincoln Financial Field, securing the reigning African champions their first World Cup match victory in 12 years.
Okay News sports reports that the victory simultaneously brought a crushing end to Ecuador’s remarkable 19-game unbeaten streak, dating back to September 2024. Backed by a heavily partisan, yellow-clad capacity crowd of 68,274, *La Tri* completely dominated the opening half-hour of play but was denied by the woodwork twice through spectacular long-range efforts from John Yeboah and Alan Minda.
Ivory Coast withstood the early technical barrage, largely stabilized by the physical central pairing of Franck Kessié and Seko Fofana alongside the electric flank play of Leipzig attacker Yan Diomande. The game shifted decisively in the second half following aggressive tactical substitutions by Ivorian manager Emerse Faé, who introduced Diallo and Ange-Yoan Bonny in the 56th minute to open up trailing spaces in the South American backline.
Just as the physical duel appeared destined for a scoreless stalemate, defender Wilfried Singo executed a lung-busting run from the halfway line down the right flank before clipping a precise low pass into the center of the box. An unmarked Amad Diallo calmly controlled the ball and sidefooted a clinical left-footed finish into the bottom left corner, leaving Ecuadorian goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez stranded and triggering wild celebrations on the Ivorian bench. Both Group E teams will return to active tournament play on June 20, with Ivory Coast squaring off against European heavyweights Germany, while Ecuador seeks redemption against Curacao.
